Glad that we visited this wonderful spot near Annapolis, as it was comforting and beautiful, a…read morepopular place to enjoy outdoor beauty and the Chesapeake Bay! Numerous trails and options throughout, and the park is open from 7 AM until dusk. Among the options are a dog park, art galleries, playgrounds, kayak rentals, ice skating, and picnic areas. I did not get to the Visitors Center, as it closed at 4 PM. We visited the South River Overlook Trail, which was four-tenths of a mile in length, and had benches at the water to fully enjoy and appreciate the spectacular views. There are six other trails, ranging to as much as a mile and one-half in length. An $8 entry fee for automobiles, additional for larger vehicles, and they also offer lifetime senior passes.

Immaculate vibes for a picnic date or a nice walk along the water ample parking and well kept…read moregrounds. It was easy to find, basically just drive to the end (however Google maps took us there w no issues!) On our way home I stopped into the ladies room and to my surprise it was clean and also well kept. Gorgeous park!

So cute! A darling little beach with good nature trails just an hour from DC. Make sure that you…read morereserve your day pass in advance as you can't get in without one on busy weekends. It's free right now but the gate attendant said eventually it will be $6. They are currently building bathrooms and a rinse-off station, but they have porta potties for now. Nicely paved roads to get there, a Safeway en route (coming from DC), and an easy walk to the beach from the parking lot. Entering the park via the gatehouse, the beach is to the right. Follow the trail and signs past the small playground on the right and past the pond on the left. I recommend going to the right once you get to the beach itself as it was less crowded the day I was there. A couple rules important to know before you go. You can drive up closer to the beach to unload, but no parking there unless you have a handicapped sticker/plate. Also, no dogs on the beach unless it's a service dog. There is a ranger walking around so don't try it as you'll be disappointed (as I saw two families have to leave). And no climbing on the break wall rocks. Seems fun, so why not? The ranger said that very aggressive (but non-poisonous) water snakes live there, eek! Also, since I went in August, beware of the jellyfish--they were everywhere. But I also saw huge schools of tiny fish and lots of birds (seagulls, pelican, etc). The beach does not have any natural shade. I had read on the website no umbrellas or tents but I saw tons of families with them and they didn't get in trouble. Bring your snacks and drinks and beach comforts as there are no concessions, just the beach! And the water itself was clear to start but then got more cloudy and had seaweed as the day went on. It's nice and shallow, so I think we will come back when the jellyfish aren't so numerous.

45-minutes from Washington, D.C. Beverly Triton Nature Park is one of the closest beaches to the…read morecity. On top of that, it's a protected park with trails and views. Here's why you should visit: 1) Parking: There's a small lot that fills up fast during the summer. My daughter and I went on an August Friday morning and had to wait a few minutes for someone to leave. There is a lot across the street, but it also fills up too. Parking is free. 2) Trails: There are several short hikes perfect for toddlers. My four-year-old daughter was able to hike the Triton Trail on her own without a stroller or asking to be carried. 3) Beach: The fastest way to the beach is down the paved trail by the main parking lot. It takes 1-2 minutes to walk to the long, but narrow public beach. Bring sunscreen and bug spray. There's no shade at all. 4) Outhouses: There are two outhouses at the main parking lot AND another one at the beach entrance. Unless you want to change in a dirty outhouse, put on your swimsuit before you arrive.

Our retired women's group walks each week at Jonas Green Park. The paths are paved & well…read moremaintained. The loop is short but we go around several times. Parking and bathrooms are available and you can't beat the views.

We wanted to go to Sandy Point Beach Park one Saturday afternoon, but the lot was full. I asked one…read moreof the cops directing traffic for another recommendation and he said "Google Jonas Green." Which I did, and 15 minutes later we were at Jonas Green, and there were lots of spots available. Jonas Green is a small park, with a small and very calm beach -- perfect for our toddler. Like most of the waterfront around Annapolis, it has beautiful views, plus restrooms, grills and picnic tables, and a nice variety of people: couples, families, kids. Very family friendly and quiet. We loved it, and will definitely go back.

Beautiful, remote peninsula that goes out where the temperature is much cooler on a hot day because…read moreof the breezes from the water. This was in April so the water was still cold from the winter, but I still can imagine relief on a hot day.

Bottom Line: An Anne Arundel County park a bit off the beaten path with limited access during the…read morepeak-season but lovely views of the Bay year round. Thomas Point Park in Annapolis is a county park that offers beautiful views of the Thomas Point Lighthouse, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the bay in general. There is a pavilion that can be rented and a day camping area but I believe what makes this park so popular in the summer months is that its a good fishing spot. As the name implies, the park is on a point of land that jets out into the bay offering great views of the water year round. From November through March visitors can drive into the park without paying a fee. But if you are wanting to drive into the park April though October then you need to obtain a permit and I think they can be a bit tricky to come by. Permits are sold at Quiet Waters Park and sold on a limited first come, first served basis. A limited number of daily permits are sold each morning and a total of 75 monthly permits are sold each month on the last Thursday of the prior month. So yeah, a little tricky but its understandable that admission to this small park, which is accessible through a residential neighborhood, needs to be limited.

It's a fairly good sized playground, a short walk from downtown with plenty of shade a few benches…read moreand a nice soft layer of mulch to keep your kids from bruising too much. There are a few unusual features (a tot-sized climbing boulder to get up to the slides) and a mini jungle-gym for smaller kids. All in all, a wonderful location and a great place to let kids work off some steam before dinner. I spent a little time here with my daughter before heading to the tail end of a bridal shower. It wasn't child (or husband) appropriate, but her great-aunts and 1st cousins once removed (yes, I had to look that up) wanted to see her - so we had to entertain ourselves for a little while. She was able to wander around and climb on things without ruining her dress, and even did a few times down the slides. The older girls (elementary to middle school) were running around playing a game called gravel, but they were nice about giving her space. (the game is similar to marco-polo, but you call out gravel if someone is on the ground. The girls didn't actually know what gravel meant, or why you yelled it if someone was one the ground. The ground was covered in mulch, and I suppose yelling "MULCH" isn't as fun, but they could have said "Ground" as easily, but first they would have had to figure out what Gravel was, or had someone tell them. I didn't and neither did any of the parents either... so they played Gravel on the Mulch.) So we had a good time until she got a pouch for a snack from the bag and she poured it all over her dress minutes before I was supposed to leave for the party. it's not the playground's fault, so I won't dock any stars. Great place all around.

I have visited downtown Annapolis hundreds of times and never new this little gem was here! The…read moreplay structures are wonderful and there are quite a few swings too. I love how there is a big kid playground and one for smaller kids as well. The park is almost entirely shaded which is nice in the summer months. There are a few benches and a couple of picnic tables too. It's a great spot to let kids burn off some energy while downtown.

Love how close this is to our house. It is in great location that is easy to get to. It is not very…read morecrowded and has a good amount of space for the dogs to run around. They have a few balls for dogs to play with, but recommend brining your own if your dog is particular about their toy. Also, bring water with you for the dogs. Their fountain not always works.

Good size for a dog to run. It's very clean, trash cans to throw away anything needed, seats to sit…read morewhile your dog plays. Only thing miss is no dog agility equipment

Nice place to launch your kayaks into spa creek and very convenient parking. Love this placeread more

Always take the kids for a walk/mini hiking trail. Has a wonderful beach trail and pond trail.read more

The park and fields seem great; however, with all these kids there must be something done about…read morebathroom facilities! Bathrooms are closed with only a few Port-o-potties that had NO toilet paper by 1030am the morning of soccer games. Thank you to the kind soul that left the wipes, because my child had to poo. May whoever you are, may you be blessed for doing that!

This is a cute idea, a great quiet spot adjacent to the water in a beautiful park so your dogs can…read moreromp in the water off leash. I'm not sure if something has changed recently but I went there today and there are big gaps on both sides of the fence where a dog can easily escape, on both the gate and other side, and on the far side, the dog would get loose into the tall grass and wetlands where it would be impossible to chase them. If your dog won't go far and/or has good recall maybe not a problem but I was definitely not comfortable taking my dog off leash here.

How did I not know that Quiet Waters has its own dog park?! I've been here before to kayak on…read moreseveral occasions and never knew this area was here. It's a nice option for the dogs on these hot days. However, there's not a lot of shade so make sure you bring an umbrella or hat. I was lucky to get a shaded spot while I was there. I brought a beach chair and a small cooler with some drinks and ice for Toby. It's not a very large area so it was a bit active with the people who were already there. Many people just stand in the water with their pets and some sit on the beach side. My dog loved it! He was running in and out of the water chasing other dogs and just having a good time. Once you park it's about a 10-minute walk. When you get to the fork in the road go left and that will take you to the dog beach. One thing I wish they had more of was garbage cans. They do have one of those dog poop dispensers with poop bags and a trash receptacle, but that was so full it was overflowing. So if you go, it would be helpful to bring a small trash bag so you can put your trash in there and probably leave it behind so others could discard their trash in there as well. There are bathrooms right across from the parking lot. It's a nice little getaway for you and your dog. You only pay to get into the Quiet Waters Park, which is waived if you are a veteran. Check it out!